MATT REID: Thanks for taking me on the journey of 'Pippin'

Friday

Apr 14, 2017 at 1:31 PMApr 14, 2017 at 1:31 PM

Matthew Reid mreid@wickedlocal.com

Seven years ago I decided to take on a project. I was the Transcript reporter back then, and wanted to chronicle the Medford High School Drama Club’s spring musical, from the auditions all the way to opening night.

The show that year was “Drood,” a zany, unconventional musical that broke the fourth wall and actually required audience members to vote during the intermission on what song would be sung as the finale. It was a memorable experience, and I met some pretty great kids along the way.

Flash forward to a few months ago. I am now in my second (well, technically third) stint with the Transcript. I thought it’d be fun to do it all over again, so I reached out to Sarah Grant and said I wanted to do another series of articles for the paper. Grant was on board, and in no time I was back in the MHS band room introducing myself to a completely new crop of fresh-faced kids who barely knew the lines of the show they were about to perform.

The show, “Pippin,” was largely unfamiliar to me. I am a fan of most of Stephen Schwartz’s works, so I was excited to take on the project. I didn’t know exactly what I’d be writing about or how the series would unfold, but that was part of the fun.

That was more than a month ago. Not only do I know all of “Pippin” by heart at this point, but I once again learned just how special the Medford High School Drama Club is.

When I first arrived at the school on March 3, I stopped a student in the hallway and asked, “Is this where the Drama Club is meeting?” Apparently I was a little too casual in my tone, because the student paused for a second and then looked me in the eyes. He said, “Well, we’re the Drama students, but we’re more than just a club.”

Point taken.

That’s the thing with MHS drama students. You never know what they’re going to say when you ask them a question, but you can bet it’s going to be quote-worthy. During this process, I interviewed close to a dozen cast and crew members. These kids have homework, extracurriculars, personal lives, and of course the daunting job of learning an entire show in just a couple of months, but never once were they too busy to answer my questions or give me input. Their talents at singing and dancing are only surpassed by their kindness and respectfulness.

And what a thrill it was to be called on stage during intermission of the show I attended, to receive a thank you gift. As Calvin Neville Lambert (who played Charlemagne) told the audience, the cast chipped in and got me an official cast sweatshirt, which even says “press” in scripted letters on the sleeve. It was such a thoughtful gesture, and, I might add, it’s quite a comfortable shirt!

So a big thank you to the cast of this show. I just hope my coverage helped fill a few seats and captured all the hard work you all put in.

And any successful drama club needs support, and in Medford there are tons of people who chip in to make sure these shows are a hit. I have to start with Music Director Andrew Wray, who I first met back when I covered “Drood.” Wray’s skill as a musician is obvious, but when you really take the time to watch him work you see all the traits of a great teacher as well: He demands a high level of attention to detail, but also has the patience to help these kids learn the show and have fun doing it.

And thanks to MHS band director Haley Rello, who also did costume design for the show and played clarinet in the orchestra. Rello was frequently scrambling back and forth between the main stage and the costume room helping kids get ready and taking care of this issue or that, but she too always made time to speak with me and answer my questions.

Thanks to Christine Newsham, a professional trapeze instructor who was charged with teaching the students acrobatics for the show’s circus theme. This was an interesting angle of the show that I didn’t expect but enjoyed learning about. I hope to get to see Christine in action one day.

And thanks to all the parents who volunteered their time during this whole process. Being a drama club parent might not get the attention of the likes of “soccer moms,” but the help these parents provide is pretty impressive, and many even took time to speak to me for my coverage, and I am very grateful for that.

Then, last but not least, there’s Grant. There isn’t enough ink in this paper to thank her for what she’s done not only for these kids, but for me during this series of articles. To simply call her the show’s “director” almost seems like an understatement. I often just sit back and watch her interact with members of the cast and marvel at the work she does.

When I interviewed senior Iragi Nkera about what it’s like to work with Grant, his face instantly lit up and he described his very first audition, when he was just a sixth grader unsure if drama was even for him. Grant told him to sing whatever audition song he wanted, and he ended up singing Happy Birthday. The experience put him at ease, and seven years later Nkera said drama club is one of the things he’s most passionate about.

“I never would have done any of it if it weren’t for Ms. Grant,” he said. I’m sure Nkera isn’t the only cast member with such a story.

I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve emailed Grant in the past month. Emails about rehearsal times. Emails asking to spell the names of kids in the photos I took. Whatever it was, she got back to me right away (she may be the only person alive who sleeps less than I do), and as Nkera said, if she was ever having a bad day you wouldn’t know it by the way she interacts with you.

There’s a line sung frequently in “Pippin” that goes, “We’ve got magic to do, just for you.” And that’s exactly what these kids did. They “performed their parts and warmed some hearts,” and should be very proud of what they accomplished. I’m already looking forward to next year’s production.

Which reminds me, to anyone reading this: Please consider taking in a show next year, especially if you’ve never experienced the Medford High School Drama Club before. Support these kids and their school, and I promise you won’t regret it.